Story by Dave Eckert / Intro photo courtesy of Chef Michael Smith, Farina and Extra Virgin Restaurants
Not long ago, I was introduced to local chef, Brian Huppe, a genuine culinary road warrior. Huppe has cooked all over the country at events like the Aspen Food and Wine Festival, the Waste Management PGA tournament, and The Masters, an event Huppe has pursued for years. “I’ve been on the list for four years. I finally got the job of sous chef where I cook for the players. I am so excited!” Huppe exclaimed.
Huppe says his culinary journeys began when a friend asked him to cook at the Senior Open PGA tournament in Omaha. “I loved it, made a lot of connections, and found out about other companies and events. I applied everywhere and began cooking around the country,” Huppe shared.
Huppe says his most memorable culinary travel moments are: the Ferrari Race, Waste Management Tournament, two Super Bowls, Torre Pines PGA, Barrett-Jackson car show, FM1 race, and, of course, The Masters.
Want to hear his stories first-hand or try his food? Huppe does local catering and private dinners. You can reach him via email at brian.huppe@yahoo.com.
Photo courtesy of Chef Michael Smith, Farina and Extra Virgin Restaurants
Seeking other local chefs who’ve put some miles on their chef’s knives, I contacted Michael Smith, a James Beard Award winner and co-owner, with his wife, Nancy, of Kansas City’s Farina and Extra Virgin restaurants. “I’ve cooked at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago for a chef’s reunion. I cooked at a Taste of the NFL, where I was in the parking lot of the Cow Palace in San Francisco, serving thousands of people. I also just did the Napa Truffle Festival, which was a blast even though I was the low man on the totem pole. They had two two-Michelin-star chefs and another with one Michelin star. But they didn’t have James Beard awards,” Smith shared with a laugh.
I asked Smith what was the biggest challenge of cooking on the road? “I need to know where I’m landing, what kind of help I have, and what kind of kitchen I’m working with,” Smith shared. “You have to adapt, adjust, and label your stuff because while everybody’s cool, if they need something for a dish, they’re gonna take it.” Good to know, Michael, though I doubt I’ll ever personally be in that position.
Photos courtesy of Chef Melissa Houston, Green Girl
My friend, Chef Melissa Houston, has been a traveling chef for nearly 20 years. It was her upcoming culinary trip to Alaska this summer that piqued my interest. Houston told me her Alaskan adventures date back to 2007. “The summer after I graduated from culinary school in San Francisco, I took a position on a wildlife and photography charter boat owned by wildlife biologist and adventurer, Ronn Patterson. I met with his team, came up with some menus for daily meals, and learned all about the company and the job, which, of course, I got,” Houston said.
Houston told me she was the charter chef for four and a half months in Southeast Alaska and British Columbia on a 50-foot converted trawler. “It was remote. I slept in a bunk in the hallway below deck. I saw the most amazing places and animals – bears, whales, dolphins, orcas, you name it. I cooked up to ten days out with very limited refrigeration, storage, and water,” Houston shared. “I learned some of the biggest lessons of my career. Whales and orcas don’t care if you’re serving dinner. Photographers don’t care if you worked all day on a Dungeness crab boil or pot du creme. Motion sickness is horrible. And water conservation is everything. There are countless lessons from that summer, and I’ve taken every single one throughout my life and career!”
Now, this summer, 19 years later, Houston has been invited back. I can’t wait to hear her stories.
Photos courtesy of Chef Laura Comer, ExplorUS Vice President Food & Beverage
Finally, some thoughts from a good friend, Chef Laura Comer. Comer has, in my opinion, one of the coolest jobs on the planet. “I’m the Vice President of Food & Beverage for ExplorUS. We provide hospitality services in public lands, National Parks, state and municipal parks, National Forests, and marinas-many of them places people travel to for bucket-list experiences,” Comer told me. “I oversee everything from coffee counter service and concession stands to large, full-service restaurants. Our portfolio spans the country, from Washington to Maine and from Hawaii to the U.S. Virgin Islands, and includes more than 50 locations with food and beverage operations.”
Comer says she found the job on LinkedIn and thought she’d be a good fit. She was right, and while she’s based in Kansas City, Comer travels to that country and beyond! “I love that no two days are the same. One day I might be working on a menu inspired by Appalachia, and the next I’m helping a team prepare for peak season in Missouri,” Comer shared. “I travel as needed to support our sites. Recently, I was in Fort Lauderdale preparing dinner for Florida State Park directors. Shortly after, I traveled to our new operation in Olympic National Park and met with representatives of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe to build ingredient sourcing partnerships and collaborations. The landscapes couldn’t be more different,” Comer told me. And I told you, one of the coolest jobs on the planet!
